How Free Launches Work on LaunchVault: Add a Backlink, Verify, Launch

Launching free on LaunchVault is simple, with one requirement: you add a dofollow backlink to LaunchVault on your site. Add our badge, verify in one click, and pick a date from the available backlink slots — no payment, no upgrade. This post explains exactly how it works, what the rules are, and how it compares to a paid Premium launch.

You can save your project privately first and finish the backlink step from your dashboard whenever you're ready.

Why a backlink is the requirement

It's a fair trade, and it's deliberate:

• You give us a real, do-follow link. That's a genuine vote for LaunchVault from your own domain — the kind of signal that actually helps a directory grow.
• We launch your product for free. In return, your listing goes live and stays permanently indexed.

Because the requirement is a link from your own domain, it can't be gamed by spammers dropping a link on some throwaway page. We check the link on the same site you're submitting, so the products that launch are the ones that actually back the platform. It's the same playbook directories have used for years — you've probably seen "Featured on…" badges in plenty of site footers.

How it works (3 steps)

1. Add the badge to your site

Put the badge on a page that's publicly reachable — your homepage or your site-wide footer is ideal, because a footer shows up on every page including the homepage. Here's the embed code:

<a href="https://launchvault.dev" target="_blank" title="Featured on LaunchVault">
  <img
    src="https://launchvault.dev/images/badges/launch-valut-badge.svg"
    alt="Featured on LaunchVault"
    style="width: 195px; height: auto;"
  />
</a>

One rule that matters: it has to be a normal do-follow link. If your theme or a plugin adds rel="nofollow", rel="ugc", or rel="sponsored" to the link, it won't pass — those tell search engines not to count the link, so it doesn't hold up its end of the trade.

2. Verify in one click

Once the badge is live, open the verify dialog (from your dashboard, or right in the submit flow) and hit Verify. We fetch your site's URL and check for a do-follow link pointing to launchvault.dev. There's no separate URL to paste — we check the same website you submitted, so just make sure the badge is live first.

Verification is instant — there's no manual review and no waiting for an email.

3. Pick your launch date

After you verify, you can pick a launch date from the available backlink slots. Choose your date and it locks in. That's it — your free launch is scheduled.

The rules (so there are no surprises)

We keep this honest on purpose. Here's the fine print, in plain language:

• Do-follow only. No nofollow / ugc / sponsored on the link.
• Keep it live. We re-check your badge once a week. If the link disappears, we don't yank your date immediately — you get a 7-day grace period and a heads-up. Restore the badge within that window and nothing changes. Let it lapse and your launch can be reverted.
• Limited slots. There are a fixed number of backlink launch slots per day. They stay scarce on purpose, so a date stays meaningful rather than becoming the default.
• It may evolve. The free backlink launch is how we grow while staying early-stage — not a permanent guarantee. We may tighten the limits or raise the bar as the platform matures. If you've got a launch ready, it's best to do it now rather than count on the exact terms staying the same.

None of this is meant to be a gotcha — it's just what keeps the badge link real and the slots fair.

Free vs. Premium: which should you use?

The difference is effort vs. certainty:

Use the free launch if you have a site you control and you're happy to keep our badge in your footer. It costs nothing and the link helps us both.

Go Premium if you don't want to add a badge, want a guaranteed slot without depending on availability, and want a guaranteed do-follow backlink from your listing back to you regardless of ranking. See the pricing page for the current Premium details.

Ready to launch?

If your product is ready, submit it, add the badge to your footer, and verify — you could be scheduled in a couple of minutes, for free.

Want the SEO background on why a do-follow link from a real product directory is worth having? Read Product directories as a source of high-quality backlinks.